The residents of Behra village are in shock and the parents of four-year-old Jaskaran — whose body was found in a well on Monday — are shattered. Jaskaran was there only son. His mother Simar Kaur fainted several times and had to be admitted to a hospital. The last rites of the boy were performed on Tuesday.

Jaskaran, son of Bhag Singh, had gone missing on the evening of January 9. His father, an autorickshaw driver, had filed a complaint with the police who found the body in the village well.

After her son went missing, Simar Kaur stopped speaking to anyone and maintained a stony silence. Breaking down after hearing about the death of her son, she had to be hospitalised. Bhag Singh said: "It is not a natural death. My son has been murdered".

Jaskaran's postmortem was conducted today, which ascertained death dut to asphyxiation.

Senior Medical Officer R K Mittal told Chandigarh Newsline that Jaskaran's postmortem was conducted by a panel of three doctors at Civil Hospital Dera Bassi and was videographed. "As per the postmortem report the child was deprived of oxygen. There were also many injury marks on his head and several other body parts. The doctors have hinted at possibility of sexual harassment. However, to confirm this further examination is awaited," added the SMO.

Dera Bassi Superintendent of Police Anil Sharma said that the postmortem has proved it a case of murder.

It is believed that the accused knew the child well and allegedly knew that the well had already been searched on January 11, when nothing was found in the well.

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